1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clothes dryers and more particularly to a means of supporting and sealing the drum to the front wall of the dryer so that a non-circular access opening may be provided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The assignee of this application has in the past provided an access opening through the front wall of a dryer which is circular and which forms a cowl to support the drum on a solid bearing ring. The front wall panel was pierced with a circular opening having a flange extruded inward into the drum cavity. A drum bearing seal assembly was attached to the flange to provide a bearing surface and seal between the two parts as the drum is rotated about the flange.
It has become desirable to provide an access opening through the front wall panel of the dryer which is not circular in shape and which thereby prevents the use of an extruded flange to act as a bearing surface and seal for the rotating drum. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,498,478; 2,644,245; 3,409,997 and 3,584,393 show dryers which have non-circular access openings with cowl portions extending into the drum. However, the cowl portions do not support the front of the drum but rather a large bearing is provided on the back end of the drum and the drum is mounted in a cantilevered manner such that the rear bearing supports the entire weight of the drum and its contents or else the drum is rotated on rollers engaging the sidewall of the drum.